Former ManU Manager ALEX FERGUSON appeared on PBS' "Charlie Rose" Tuesday night to discuss his tenure as manager of the iconic club and the state of the game today. Ferguson said the "way the game has changed" is the amount of money coming into the sport from TV and "it gives clubs the opportunity" to acquire high-priced players and "even middle-level teams now are spending $20-25 million in players." Ferguson: "At United, we do buy players but we also have this great youth system where they produce their own players." Ferguson said, "I've never worried about teams who spend whatever they want to spend (and) at the moment, we're getting a lot Middle East owners, we have American owners and Russian owners and it never bothered me one bit. All I concerned myself with is how we can maintain our level of expectation, be competitive (and) be at the top part of the league." Ferguson said when the GLAZER family acquired ManU, "it changed nothing." Ferguson: "The misconception about the Glazers buying the club and it created a sort of hostility with different factions of Manchester United supporters because a single member was owning the club, they forget the minute it became a PLC someone was going to buy it. … The Glazers did that and in my time with them, they did nothing but support. [The Glazers have been] very strong, single-minded people but always supportive of the manager and the things that happened in the club. They've been very good … [and] very low-key" ("Charlie Rose," PBS, 10/1).

The Austrian Football Federation (ÖFB) "has extended its contract with national team head coach" MARCEL KOLLER until '15 (ÖSTERREICH, 10/2). ... The WTA "announced the appointment" of RYAN SANDILANDS as the regional CEO of Asia-Pacific. Sandilands, who will be based out of a new WTA office in Singapore set to open in January, "will be responsible for driving the WTA's growth strategy throughout Asia-Pacific," including business development, government relations, marketing, operations and media distribution (XINHUA, 10/1). ... FIFA's Independent Governance Committee "is set to lose another senior official" after Chair MARK PIETH announced his intention to retire from the post at the end of the year (SOCCEREX, 10/2). ... AUGUSTIN AHOUANVOÉBLA has been elected president of the Benin Football Federation (FEBEFOOT) for a four-year tenure, as his "Revival of Football" list (of candidates for office) beat BRUNO ARTHUR DIVADI's "Renewal" list 23-21. Ahouanvoébla replaces Confederation of African Football exec committee member ANJORIN MOUCHARAFOU, "who opted against running for another term" (INSIDE WORLD FOOTBALL, 10/2). ... English League Two side Accrington Stanley "will revamp the club's commercial operation," with FAYE SMITHSON and MIKE FERGUSON JR. taking charge of all commercial aspects at the Store First Stadium from this week. Smithson and Ferguson "will be responsible for all sponsorship, advertising and hospitality at the club" (ISPORTCONNECT, 10/1). ... Argentine first division side Racing Club has appointed VICTOR BLANCO as its new president. Blanco's appointment follows recent resignations by former President GASTON COGORNO and former VP RODOLFO MOLINA (LA NACION, 10/1). ... Belgium football side KAA Gent has sacked coach VICTOR FERNANDEZ and his assistant, JULIAN JIMENEZ. The team won three of its first nine games this season (MARCA, 10/1).

Oman’s RAIYA AL HABSI "has become the first Arab woman to be nominated for the Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards." The 25-year-old is one of four female sailors announced in the women's category of the Int'l Sailing Federation-organized annual award nominations, along with JO ALEH and OLIVIA POWRIE and DENEEN DEMOURKAS and ERIKA HEINEKEN of the U.S. (GULF NEWS, 10/2). ... Former Wimbledon finalist DAVID NALBANDIAN of Argentina "has announced his retirement from professional tennis owing to injuries." Nalbandian cited "persistent shoulder problems as the main reason for his decision to retire" (TELEGRAPH, 10/2). ... Olympic Bronze Medalist SAINA NEHWAL was declared Sports Illustrated Sportsperson of the Year while her mentor and India coach PULELLA GOPICHAND was given the Coach of the Year award "for nurturing new crop of talented young shuttlers." The 14 categories in which the awards were presented include Young Player of the Year award, won by U19 world cup winning captain UNMUKT CHAND. Athlete of the Year was presented to young India cricketer VIRAT KOHLI (PTI, 10/1). ... London Mayor BORIS JOHNSON reminded some of his prediction that the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics "would spur a baby boom." Johnson said to the Conservative Party conference, "I prophesied that the athletes had moved the people of this country to such paroxysms of excitement on the sofas of Britain that they had not only inspired a generation, but probably helped to create one as well. Live births in London will be 136,942, which is more than in any year since 1966 when England won the World Cup" (ITV, 10/1). ... Former India cricket captain RAHUL DRAVID said the spirit of the game has become more "relevant and important" in the wake of the Indian Premier League spot-fixing scandal "that plunged Indian cricket into a credibility crisis." One "of the most disciplined statesmen of modern-day cricket," Dravid said, "In times like these when the game is facing big challenges and some of the players get involved (corruption) the spirit of the game becomes more relevant and important" (PTI, 10/2). ... Pakistan Cricket Board Dir General JAVED MIANDAD "has offered to stand down from his post" on Wednesday (PAKISTAN TODAY, 10/2). ... PACO ZAS, one of the candidates running for Spanish second division side Deportivo La Coruña's upcoming presidential election, "assured that the moment of truth will arrive" for the club, which has been led for 25 years by current Deportivo President AUGUSTO CESAR LENDOIRO, who is running for re-election (EFE, 10/2). ... Jamaican sprinter USAIN BOLT "will run 100m through the streets of Buenos Aires in an exhibition that could also feature a race against a bus." Bolt has not set the date, but said it will be between Dec. 7-13 (AP, 10/2).